Reading Between the Lines
by Silver345
Summary: Because there was more to everything they said than the words themselves. It was a pity neither of them could read between the lines. Angsty Lucaya Two shot
1. Chapter 1

_"The art of reading between the lines is as old as manipulated information" -Serge Schmemann_

* * *

It started off where she all she wanted was to bug him. Get under his skin like she knew she could.

 _How else can he keep tabs on all the hoedowns and cattle pageants?_

But he was never phased.

 _Be like the eagle and soar above the mockingbird._

So she tried harder.

 _Hey Hee-Haw. You going to tick-tock shake your body time? Because you know it's not a square dance, so not going to be a lot of dosey-doeing._

But he didn't even blink.

 _Well I'm sure I'll have no idea what to do and you can make fun of me._

Not

 _You're not playing this right._

Even

 _Well, that's certainly not my intention!_

Once.

 _I'll try harder next time._

And so, it became her little game. She would break him one day. It was seventh grade, she had time, she would pick away at him slowly until he cracked.

 _Thanks, Ranger Roy._

He was as good as hers.

 _I'm Ranger Roy and I'll be here all week!_

Gosh darn it he was good.

 _Well you only know that 'cause they went ahead and said it._

But wait, what was this?

 _Someday, you're going to write someone a wonderful fortune cookie_

Did she have him this time?

 _He simply smiled._

No clever comeback, just a boyish grin?

 _Have you ever even heard me talk?_

Had she been without success, she would have stopped.

 _Ha-hurrrrr!_

But, here he was, nothing to add for once.

 _All he could do was laugh._

She was hooked.

 _Hey, Ranger Rick._

He had responses to everything. Her goal became to throw him off, say something that he couldn't think of anything to come back at her with.

 _Hey, other one._

But, it was more than that wasn't it?

 _Penelope?_

When he started to strike back, it was kind of exciting. Exciting in a way she couldn't quite understand.

 _Really, Huckleberry? You wanna play with me right now?_

It made her just the slightest bit flustered.

 _Oh, Huckleberry, Huckleberry, whatever bad bad things you did at your old school, you are still such a Huckleberry._

So she struck back harder, because that was all she knew how to do to deal with what she was feeling.

 _Were you thrown out of school?_

But every once in a while

 _Yes._

He would say something

 _For a whole year?_

That just sort of

 _Yes._

Made her stomach twirl a little.

 _I finally like you!_

And she had to let him know.

 _I need to tell you something._

And she just couldn't help herself, even if she knew her best friend liked him.

 _And you really need to hear this._

Because in the end

 _In the end,_

She was falling for him a little.

 _You're going to be on the ground, and I'm going to be the one who walks away._

All she could do was shudder with glee.

 _She calls me Huckleberry._

It was hard when she found out that he might not like her nicknames as much as she thought he did.

 _There's also the possibility I may have called him Ranger Rick once._

It sort of hurt.

 _Once?_

She thought all her nicknames were in fun, but his had really stung.

 _Oh, yeah, Ranger Roy once. Ranger Rick is every day._

She had never thought that maybe his hurt him too.

 _Don't forget Bucky McBoingBoing._

Then she caught his tone.

 _Oh, that was a fun day!_

He was just defending his right to call her nicknames too. This wasn't about her name calling hurting, this was about the game.

 _Why do you let her?_

He wasn't mad about her nicknames at all, it was just that the ball was in his court and he had to save himself from losing the point. He cared about the game. That made her a little giddy.

 _I've been wanting to know that myself._

But why did he care?

 _You questioning my leadership, Hop-along?_

She knew why she made fun of him, not that anyone needed to know the specifics.

 _These names you're calling me are really ruining my street cred._

He never pulled away.

 _Aw, and what would you like me to call you?_

If she pushed him harder, would he break?

 _I'd like you to call me Mad Dog._

It was sure hard to breathe when he dropped his voice like that.

 _You don't seem like a Mad Dog to me._

That was a lie. She liked the look of his face paint and bandanna, it made his edges seem rougher, almost as if he was like her somehow.

 _Well what do I seem like to you?_

Perhaps she was developing asthma. That, or her Mayaville residents had started a bonfire in a nearby trash can. Either way, breathing was hard and it was warming up her face.

 _You know that lamb that Mary had?_

The look on his face was priceless.

 _I don't like where this is going._

She forced herself to push him away lightly. She smiled. She had won this round. But she couldn't help wondering what his lips might have felt like. They looked soft up close.

 _Well, maybe we don't have a vote, Lucas—_

She was falling, head over heels, so how could she help it if she tripped up every once in a while?

 _Did you just call me Lucas?_

He was so cute sometimes.

 _I've always known your name. I like us all very much._

If only she had the courage to tell him that point blank. If only he had the insight to read into her words.

 _The blonde beauty._

But it was comforting when he tripped up too.

 _Lucas talks about himself like that?_

Zay probably thought she was dense.

 _He was talking about you._

She saw the look of panic on his face when Zay said that.

 _Oh… oh._

Perhaps she was dense.

 _I don't want that for Maya! I want Maya to be happy!_

He slipped a lot it seemed.

 _Thank you, Lucas, but its just an art class._

She wondered how many stomach butterflies it would take to blow someone up from the inside out.

 _You're a great artist, Maya._

She wondered if he felt them too.

 _Silence._

Sometimes he didn't even need to say anything.

 _He grabbed her by the waist as she was about to pounce on Farkle._

That was different than anyone else.

 _He put her back in her seat and only smiled wide when she turned back to stare at him._

That scared her.

 _They thought I would be the best choice to… contain… you…_

He managed to make scared cute too.

 _Oh. You think you can?_

She knew he could. But he didn't have to know that.

 _Pappy Joe! That's your Pappy Joe. That's Pappy Joe! Yes, more stuff!_

He didn't say a word. She wondered why.

 _I know it's early, but my life is complete._

He just stood there and took it, not even a half smile.

 _You're scared of a man cow._

It worried her when he didn't say anything.

 _I don't want you going anywhere near that bull._

Then she discovered the gravity of the situation.

 _Yeah, that makes two of us._

He didn't reassure her, didn't smile or tip an imaginary cowboy hat, nothing.

 _I want you to take off that stupid outfit and I want to get out of here._

He agreed with her.

 _Maya—_

She realized how much she really cared in that moment.

 _I saw the bull; I don't think the bull realizes this is supposed to be fun!_

Caring terrified her more than any bull could.

 _If you do this_

So she acted.

 _I will never speak to you again._

She never liked his silence, it made her nervous. But if it would bring him back to safety, she'd hold onto silence like it was her lifeline.

 _What do you think you getting hurt would do to the people who—_

Who was she kidding, she couldn't stay away.

 _Care about you? I think thats what you were gonna say._

Zay couldn't either.

 _Silence._

There was nothing to say to that.

 _Maya likes you._

Her heart dropped as fast as his jaw when she heard those words. She wondered if it was in free fall and it would shatter soon.

 _She's been hiding it all this time._

She did it for Riley, why couldn't she see that? Why was she undoing two years of hard work?

 _You like me?_

What did he expect her to say?

 _No._

He should have been smarter than that, he knew her.

 _Why do you make fun of me?_

There it was.

 _Because you're easy to make fun of._

She could answer that.

 _Okay, then stop._

She just didn't have to answer truthfully.

 _Because you're a Huckleberry, you're a Ranger Rick._

He could tell.

 _Would you stop?_

Never.

 _Don't you think that if I had feelings for you I'd just go right out and say it?_

Of course she wouldn't.

 _Well I don't so what I do say is ha—_

Lies. Lies and lies and… silence.

 _She gasped as he took her face in his hands._

She was nervous when he was quiet, she always had been.

 _He stared into her terrified eyes and his gaze flickered towards her lips._

Why couldn't he just say something? Or… do something? Anything at all?

 _He let go, his fingers finding their way back to his sides._

There it was. She fell out of free fall. There was the shatter.

 _Why did you do that?_

That came out more broken then she had hoped.

 _I don't know, I just wanted you to stop… I'm sorry._

He was so sweet, always so sweet. There was no reason for him to apologize.

 _Please don't tell my sister._

Riley. She had forgotten all about Riley. She had to know, but how could she hurt her pumpkin?

 _You don't have to be sorry, Huckleberry._

Why did he have to look at her with that face? That face that made it look like he was guilty of kicking a puppy? He hadn't done anything other than break her heart, but that was bound to break someday.

 _Of course I like you._

She wished he wouldn't look at her like that.

 _You're a good guy._

He looked like he actually cared.

 _And if you got hurt, I don't know what I would have done._

Silence.

 _Don't you think now would be a good time._

She just looked at him. It was like he actually cared.

 _He put his hand on her shoulder._

He needed to stop. It was making her hang on, thinking that someone cared like that.

 _You and me?_

Why did he keep pretending like she mattered to him?

 _Sure._

But it was her fault for playing along wasn't it?

 _This spot taken?_

She kept trying.

 _I was saving it._

And hoping.

 _For who?_

And pushing.

 _I don't know anymore._

And in the end she was just as confused as he was.

 _Hey, Lucas?_

She saw how he paid attention when she called him by his name.

 _Yeah?_

Like what she was about to say was important. Maybe it was.

 _Have I ever said anything nice to you?_

She was sure she had at some point.

 _No._

Maybe not.

 _Well_

I like you.

 _It's one minute to midnight._

I really like you.

 _And I'm glad you're standing here._

I love you.

 _Wow._

She wondered if he had any idea what she was actually trying to say.

 _That kind of makes up for everything._

She had a feeling he had some idea.

 _Riley still loves Lucas._

And her heart shattered once again.

 _Silence._

* * *

See, things like this are what happen when I try to write a multi chapter. I'm working on a chapter, and then I get an idea and think, "This wouldn't work for this story, I must write a oneshot! This is actually a twoshot, but you get the picture. I have literally 5 starts to one shots cluttering up my desktop because of Bases are Loaded.


	2. Chapter 2

When she started making fun of him, he thought it was funny. She was pretty clever, that little blonde spitfire.

 _How else can he keep tabs on all the hoedowns and cattle pageants?_

But he was pretty clever too.

 _Be like the eagle and soar above the mockingbird._

She was relentless with her nicknaming and mocking.

 _Hey Hee-Haw. You going to tick-tock shake your body time? Because you know it's not a square dance, so not going to be a lot of dosey-doeing._

But she made it so very easy for him to make a comeback sometimes.

 _Well I'm sure I'll have no idea what to do and you can make fun of me._

With just

 _You're not playing this right._

One

 _Well, that's certainly not my intention!_

Word.

 _I'll try harder next time._

He wondered when she would realized that nothing she said could break him.

 _Thanks, Ranger Roy._

She was good.

 _I'm Ranger Roy and I'll be here all week!_

But he was better.

 _Well you only know that 'cause they went ahead and said it._

And she knew it, she just would never admit it.

 _Someday, you're going to write someone a wonderful fortune cookie_

So he let her have a win every once in a while.

 _He simply smiled._

No clever comeback, just a smile.

 _Have you ever even heard me talk?_

This game was all about rewards.

 _Ha-hurrrrr!_

She would grow to loath him if she never won, he had to keep the game going.

 _All he could do was laugh._

He was hooked.

 _Hey, Ranger Rick._

He had responses to everything. His goal became to throw her off, keep her on her toes.

 _Hey, other one._

But, it was more than that wasn't it?

 _Penelope?_

He tried striking back a few times.

 _Really, Huckleberry? You wanna play with me right now?_

It didn't usually work out so well. He was better on the defensive than on the offensive.

 _Oh, Huckleberry, Huckleberry, whatever bad bad things you did at your old school, you are still such a Huckleberry._

But it got her fired up, so he kept it up every once in a while.

 _Were you thrown out of school?_

And sometimes

 _Yes._

He was afraid

 _For a whole year?_

That he had lost her

 _Yes._

But

 _I finally like you!_

She was good at throwing him for a loop. He was glad for that sometimes. All the time actually.

 _I need to tell you something._

She was always there, no matter what.

 _And you really need to hear this._

Because in the end

 _In the end,_

He was falling for her a little.

 _You're going to be on the ground, and I'm going to be the one who walks away._

All he could do was breathe and take it in stride.

 _She calls me Huckleberry._

He had no idea why she was so hurt by his nickname.

 _There's also the possibility I may have called him Ranger Rick once._

A little short stack of pancakes? Really? She of all people was offended by that of all things?

 _Once?_

She called him so many nicknames.

 _Oh, yeah, Ranger Roy once. Ranger Rick is every day._

Why couldn't he give her one?

 _Don't forget Bucky McBoingBoing._

But something in her face shifted.

 _Oh, that was a fun day!_

Was this part of the game?

 _Why do you let her?_

Was she really mad? Was she really upset about that nickname? Maybe there were times when he wanted her to be more straightforward with him.

 _I've been wanting to know that myself._

He wasn't sure he had an answer.

 _You questioning my leadership, Hop-along?_

He couldn't say he wasn't attracted by her powerful demeanor.

 _These names you're calling me are really ruining my street cred._

He wondered if it were possible to drown in someone's eyes.

 _Aw, and what would you like me to call you?_

Why did her mocking only make him want her more?

 _I'd like you to call me Mad Dog._

If he dropped his voice on purpose, no one had to know.

 _You don't seem like a Mad Dog to me._

If he was being honest, she was more Mad Dog than he was. He'd always had a thing for tough girls.

 _Well what do I seem like to you?_

He wondered if he had imagined the lapse in her rough around the edges exterior

 _You know that lamb that Mary had?_

He couldn't think of a good response with the scent of her peach shampoo taunting him.

 _I don't like where this is going._

She pushed him away and he found a way to breathe again. She smirked and he couldn't help but watch the way her lips turned up at the corners.

 _Well, maybe we don't have a vote, Lucas—_

It always startled him when she tripped up.

 _Did you just call me Lucas?_

He couldn't figure out how to deal with that.

 _I've always known your name. I like us all very much._

He could only wonder what that meant.

 _The blonde beauty._

Gosh darn it, Zay!

 _Lucas talks about himself like that?_

Shut up, Zay!

 _He was talking about you._

Well, there goes everything.

 _Oh… oh._

He looked away from her quickly. Maybe if he didn't look at her, she wouldn't be able to see him and he could crawl into a hole in the ground somewhere on the other side of the planet.

 _I don't want that for Maya! I want Maya to be happy!_

He slipped a lot.

 _Thank you, Lucas, but its just an art class._

He wondered how many butterflies a stomach could hold when he looked at her.

 _You're a great artist, Maya._

He wondered if she felt them too.

 _Silence._

It made him hopeful when she didn't look away.

 _He grabbed her by the waist as she was about to pounce on Farkle._

He didn't have to say anything to her sometimes.

 _He put her back in her seat and only smiled wide when she turned back to stare at him._

They had some sort of understanding.

 _They thought I would be the best choice to… contain… you…_

But she still terrified him.

 _Oh. You think you can?_

Could anyone?

 _Pappy Joe! That's your Pappy Joe. That's Pappy Joe! Yes, more stuff!_

He didn't say a word.

 _I know it's early, but my life is complete._

He stood there and took it, what else could he do?

 _You're scared of a man cow._

He guessed it was true.

 _I don't want you going anywhere near that bull._

Then she discovered the gravity of the situation.

 _Yeah, that makes two of us._

He didn't reassure her that it would be alright.

 _I want you to take off that stupid outfit and I want to get out of here._

He didn't know if it would be.

 _Maya—_

He was terrified when she was scared.

 _I saw the bull; I don't think the bull realizes this is supposed to be fun!_

She simply didn't do scared.

 _If you do this_

If she was scared, he was dead.

 _I will never speak to you again._

He wasn't sure he could handle that.

 _What do you think you getting hurt would do to the people who—_

He knew she cared

 _Care about you? I think thats what you were gonna say._

He just never knew how much.

 _Silence._

He didn't know how to wrap his brain around that.

 _Maya likes you._

His heart did something crazy when Riley said that.

 _She's been hiding it all this time._

He really liked Riley, but was it wasn't the same as it was with Maya.

 _You like me?_

It was a stupid question, but it was all he could manage with his heart trying to break out of his ribcage.

 _No._

He should have expected that, but it still felt like a blow to the chest.

 _Why do you make fun of me?_

He had a feeling that was the key to the whole thing.

 _Because you're easy to make fun of._

Of course she would avoid it.

 _Okay, then stop._

It was what she was best at.

 _Because you're a Huckleberry, you're a Ranger Rick._

He could tell.

 _Would you stop?_

That didn't sound like her.

 _Don't you think that if I had feelings for you I'd just go right out and say it?_

Of course she wouldn't.

 _Well I don't so what I do say is ha—_

He couldn't take her lies anymore.

 _She gasped as he took her face in his hands._

He had no idea what he had just done. All he knew is that he had done it and she was close and she smelled like peaches and her eyes were so bright and he really really really wanted to kiss her.

 _He stared into her terrified eyes and his gaze flickered towards her lips._

He wanted to close the distance, he really did.

 _He let go, his fingers finding their way back to his sides._

But he was petrified.

 _Why did you do that?_

For the first time, he realized that he could break her.

 _I don't know, I just wanted you to stop… I'm sorry._

He'd never wanted to break her.

 _Please don't tell my sister._

He knew that was wrong the moment he said it, but he couldn't take it back.

 _You don't have to be sorry, Huckleberry._

She just stared up at him with that face of resignation, that face of disappointment where she remembered that hope was for suckers.

 _Of course I like you._

He wished she wouldn't look at him like that. He wished she wouldn't look at him like he was the reason she'd lost hope.

 _You're a good guy._

But he deserved it.

 _And if you got hurt, I don't know what I would have done._

Silence.

 _Don't you think now would be a good time._

She looked back at him. She still looked empty.

 _He put his hand on her shoulder._

She needed to stop breaking. He needed her to stop breaking.

 _You and me?_

He kept trying to pick up the pieces and put everything back together, but the second he picked up one, two more fell and shattered even smaller.

 _Sure._

He wondered if she still hoped.

 _This spot taken?_

She kept trying.

 _I was saving it._

He kept hoping

 _For who?_

That maybe she would still want to try.

 _I don't know anymore._

He didn't seem to know anything anymore.

 _Hey, Lucas?_

He paid extra attention when she called him by his actual name.

 _Yeah?_

It usually meant she had something important to say.

 _Have I ever said anything nice to you?_

She had almost said nice things to him plenty of times.

 _No._

Perhaps she was trying, but was too afraid to follow through, just like he was that night in Texas.

 _Well_

Would she follow through now?

 _It's one minute to midnight._

Could she see what he felt through his eyes?

 _And I'm glad you're standing here._

Did he have any idea what affect she had on him?

 _Wow._

I like you.

 _That kind of makes up for everything._

I might even love you.

 _Riley still loves Lucas._

And he was thrown for another loop.

 _Silence._

* * *

Oh, look I'm already done with the second part. Funny how that works.


End file.
